He kissed my nose. “You’ll be my guest. Don’t worry about everyone else.”

I liked the idea of being his guest, but still. I’d never fit in with Easton’s friends. I’d always felt like the imposter. He is not Easton. “Sure. I’ll come.”

“Brilliant. Then afterward we can go out to dinner. I can show you my London.”

I tucked my head and kissed his chest. Was it bad that the only part of London I wanted to see was him? “Sounds like a plan.” And because I couldn’t help myself, I kissed him again.

“Woman, didn’t I tell you that you’re killing me.”

I grinned. “Sorry.” Was this me? Lying in bed with a man, enjoying myself and not praying for him to drop off so I could finally relax enough to sleep myself? I liked the new me. I could certainly get used to this.

Alexi spent the next hour kissing me and asking me questions about my childhood until the gray light of dawn broke through the shadows of the night. He groaned. “I really don’t want to leave you.”

I didn’t want him to go either. “St—”

He interrupted me by kissing me. “Don’t say it. You tell me to stay, and I will. And that would mean a whole bunch of nosy questions. And frankly, I would like to keep you to myself for a bit, if that’s okay with you.”

I sighed. “You’re right. You should go.”

Thanks to more kissing that nearly got out of hand, it took him another ten minutes to leave my room. But when he finally slipped from my bed, I wished I’d had the courage to tell him to stay.

25

Abbie…

I fidgeted with my camera as I waited outside the estate. The home was set on a sprawling lush lawn, complete with a garden maze. This was the stuff fairytales were made of. Right. Fairytales for other people. This did not look like my kind of party at all.

You are here for work. To make actual money, so suck it up.

Xander wanted me to photograph love. Easier said than done.

I snapped a few pictures, but nothing depicting love. Though I might be able to use some for later assignments.

I’d spotted Alexi as soon as I’d arrived, but he’d been engaged in conversation with a striking brunette, and from the angle of both their heads, it looked like an intimate conversation. When Alexi’s hand rested on the brunette’s waist, my stomach knotted.

I was just about to turn around when he looked up and beamed at me. “There you are.”

I plastered a smile on my face through gritted teeth as he approached with the same gorgeous brunette. Though surprisingly, the brunette smiled at me warmly.